Collating machine for printed sheets

ABSTRACT

A collating machine for printed sheets having a row of feeding stations with magazines for accommodating stacks of printed sheets and at least one magazine for accommodating cards, stickers, product samples or similar advertising means to be affixed onto printed sheets, having devices for individually separating the printed sheets and advertising means from the magazines, having a device for applying an adhesive prior to the joining of the advertising means to the printed sheet, having a collecting conveyor which comprises a collecting channel and a continuous conveyor chain with drivers, which from behind push the printed sheets along the collecting channel, and having an intermediate conveyor, which is disposed above the collecting conveyor and on which a printed sheet and an advertising means are joined together by adhesion and conveyed further in a clocked manner for deposit onto a printed sheet and/or printed sheet stack fed by the drivers of the conveyor chain of the collecting conveyor in the collecting channel, is, in order to affix advertising means to the underside of the printed sheets, characterized by a first feeding station (A) for advertising means ( 2 ) and a second feeding station (B) for printed sheets ( 1 ) and a conveyor ( 8 ), on which an advertising means ( 2 ) individually separated from the first feeding station (A) may be deposited and fed in the correct position to the second feeding station (B) and on which a printed sheet ( 1 ) individually separated from the second feeding station (B) may be deposited in the correct position onto the advertising means ( 2 ) in the sense of being affixed to the underside of the printed sheet ( 1 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a collating machine for printed sheetshaving a row of feeding stations with magazines for accommodating stacksof printed sheets and at least one magazine for accommodating cards,stickers, product samples or similar advertising means to be affixed toprinted sheets, having devices for individually separating the printedsheets and advertising means from the magazines, having a device forapplying an adhesive prior to the joining of the advertising means tothe printed sheet, and having a collecting conveyor which comprises acollecting channel and a continuous conveyor chain with drivers, whichfrom behind push the printed sheets along the collecting channel.

[0002] To collate printed sheets into inner books use is made ofcollating machines having a row of feeding stations with a delivery drumbetween a magazine and an intermediate support, having a separatingdevice, which comprises a suction element for downward bending of, ineach case, the bottom printed sheet of a stack and a gripping mechanismon the delivery drum for grasping the downwardly bent printed sheet andremoving it from the printed sheet stack. The collating machine furthercomprises a collecting conveyor with a collecting channel, in whichdrivers of a continuous conveyor chain move and strip the individuallyseparated printed sheets from the intermediate support and collate theminto an inner book on the collecting channel. During this process, analignment of the printed sheets at the folded edge by the drivers of theconveyor chain as well as at the aligning edge of the collecting channelis effected.

[0003] The collating machines may be equipped with so-called card fixersfor affixing cards, stickers, product samples or similar advertisingmeans to printed sheets. To this end, the feeding stations are providedwith a delivery drum and a gripping mechanism as interchangeablestations so that the card fixers may be used at any station location.The printed sheet, on which a card or the like is to be affixed, isconveyed by the drivers in the correct position on an intermediatesupport and by means of the delivery drum a card or the like is rolledonto the printed sheet, after an adhesive has previously been appliedonto the card as the latter passes an application nozzle. The peripheralspeed of the delivery drum in said case corresponds to the conveyingspeed of the collecting conveyor. The printed sheet with an affixed cardslides from the intermediate support onto a printed sheet stack in thecollecting channel.

[0004] From DE-OS 27 40 320 a method of inserting cards into printedsheet stacks is known, in which the card to be inserted is fastened bymeans of adhesive to a printed sheet in such a way that the card adheresto the printed sheet during the operations following collation. In thecollating system comprising a row of feeding stations, which is usablefor the method, printed sheets and insertion cards are individuallyseparated from magazines by means of separating elements and grippers ondelivery drums and fed in the delivery direction to a collectingconveyor having drivers. In an operation controlled by photocells theinsertion card, as it is removed by the delivery drum, is sprayed bymeans of a pistol with a volatile or crystallizing adhesive anddeposited on a printed sheet. In said case, the position on the sheetmay be determined by the time of deposit of the insertion card by thedelivery drum. A pressure roller is then used to bond the fed insertfirmly to the printed sheet of a collated printed sheet stack. Theadhesive used with said method loses its adhesive properties only aftera specific time, with the result that there is no displacement of theinsertion card during the subsequent processing steps of the printedsheet stack. During processing the sheet stack, e.g. in a joggingstation, cutting station and binding station, the insert is heldstationary in the printed sheet stack. A change in the position of theinsert card, which may lead to its being glued in with the printed sheetstack or to its being damaged during trimming, is therefore ruled out.

[0005] In a further refinement of the method according to DE-OS 27 40320, printed sheets from magazines are deposited onto a revolvingintermediate conveyor having drivers, which engage behind the printedsheets, and are supplemented by an insertion card, which is fed byfeeding stations and provided with a coating of adhesive, and aredeposited onto collated printed sheets of the collecting conveyor.

[0006] It is obvious that the collating machines with card fixer knownfrom prior art are designed for affixing advertising means from aboveonto printed sheets. Against said background the object of the inventionis to propose a collating machine of the described type which allows anaffixing of cards, stickers, product samples or similar advertisingmeans onto printed sheets from below, i.e. onto the reverse side of theprinted sheets.

[0007] Said object is achieved by the invention in a surprisingly simpleand economical manner by means of a first feeding station foradvertising means and a second feeding station for printed sheets and aconveyor, on which an advertising means individually separated from thefirst feeding station may be deposited and fed in the correct positionto the second feeding station and on which a printed sheet individuallyseparated from the second feeding station may be deposited in thecorrect position onto the advertising means in the sense of beingaffixed to the underside of the printed sheet. Advantageous developmentsof the invention arise from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0008] There now follows a detailed description of the invention by wayof example and with reference to the diagrammatic drawings. The drawingsshow:

[0009]FIG. 1 A cutout from a collating machine according to theinvention;

[0010]FIG. 2 A perspective individual view of the belt conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] In a collating machine having a row of feeding stations printedsheets are individually separated from magazines and stacked in aspecific order on a collecting conveyor 3. The collecting conveyor 3comprises a collecting channel 4 and a continuously revolving conveyorchain 6, on which are situated drivers 7, which engage through thecollecting channel 4 and from behind push a plurality of collatedstacked printed sheets 1 along the collecting channel 4.

[0012] The embodiment illustrated in the drawing shows a cutout of acollating machine having a first feeding station “A” for advertisingmeans 2, e.g. a card, and a second feeding station “B” for printedsheets 2 disposed downstream in conveying direction, and having aconveyor 8 between the feeding stations “A” and “B”. In the embodimentthe feeding stations “A” and “B” comprise delivery drums 9 disposedbetween a magazine 10 and the conveyor 8 and having a gripping mechanism11 on the delivery drum 9 for grasping an advertising means 2 and aprinted sheet 1 bent down from the stack by means of a sucker 12. Theconveyor 8 takes the form of a belt conveyor, which may be acted upon bysuction air and revolves in synchronism with the collecting conveyor 3and on which an advertising means 2 individually separated from thefirst feeding station “A” is deposited and conveyed further in thecorrect position to the second feeding station “B” and, as it passes anadhesive application nozzle 5, is provided with spots of adhesive. Ifthe checking device 13 signals a missing or double printed sheet 1, theadhesive application nozzle is not activated.

[0013] In the second feeding station “B” a printed sheet 1 isindividually separated and rolled in the correct position onto theadvertising means 2 fed by the belt conveyor 8. According to theinvention, the advertising means 2 is therefore affixed to the undersideof the printed sheet 1. The belt conveyor 8 and the collecting conveyor3 of the collating machine are synchronously tuned to one another andthe peripheral speed of the delivery drums 9 is synchronized andcorresponds to the conveying speed of the collecting conveyor 3.

[0014] As is apparent from the perspective view in FIG. 2, the beltconveyor 8 with its top run covers a suction box 14 having a number ofupwardly open suction channels 14 a extending in the conveyingdirection, which may be acted upon by a partial vacuum and areassociated with arrangements of suction hole rows 8 a of the beltconveyor 8 for conveying the advertising means 2. The arrangements ofsuction hole rows 8 a are situated at cyclical distances from oneanother in the belt conveyor and the width of the suction surface may beoptimally adjusted to the format width of the advertising means 2 byconnecting and disconnecting the suction air of individual suctionchannels 14 a using known means.

[0015] The printed sheet 1 with the advertising means 2 affixed frombelow is finally moved by the belt conveyor 8 synchronously onto aprinted sheet stack 1 a, which is advanced by the drivers along thecollecting channel 4 of the collecting conveyor 3.

What is claimed is:
 1. Collating machine for printed sheets having a rowof feeding stations with magazines for accommodating stacks of printedsheets and at least one magazine for accommodating cards, stickers,product samples or similar advertising means to be affixed to printedsheets, having devices for individually separating the printed sheetsand advertising means from the magazines, having a device for applyingan adhesive prior to the joining of the advertising means to the printedsheet, having a collecting conveyor which comprises a collecting channeland a continuous conveyor chain with drivers, which from behind push theprinted sheets along the collecting channel, and having an intermediateconveyor, which is disposed above the collecting conveyor and on which aprinted sheet and an advertising means are joined together by adhesionand conveyed further in a clocked manner for deposit onto a printedsheet and/or printed sheet stack fed by the drivers of the conveyorchain of the collecting conveyor in the collecting channel,characterized by a first feeding station (A) for advertising means (2)and a second feeding station (B) for printed sheets (1) and a conveyor(8), on which an advertising means (2) individually separated from thefirst feeding station (A) may be deposited and fed in the correctposition to the second feeding station (B) and on which a printed sheet(1) individually separated from the second feeding station (B) may bedeposited in the correct position onto the advertising means (2) in thesense of being affixed to the underside of the printed sheet (1). 2.Collating machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that theconveyor (8) is a belt conveyor, which may be acted upon by suction air,for holding and feeding the advertising means (2) in the correctposition.
 3. Collating machine according to claim 2 , characterized by asuction box (14), which is covered by the top run of the belt conveyor(8) and has upwardly open suction channels (14 a) extending in conveyingdirection, which may be acted upon by a partial vacuum and areassociated with arrangements of suction hole rows (8 a) of the beltconveyor (8) and are individually adjustable to the format width of theadvertising means (2) by connecting and disconnecting the air pressure.4. Collating machine according to claim 2 , characterized in that thearrangements of suction hole rows (8 a) are situated at cyclicaldistances apart from one another in the belt conveyor (8).
 5. Collatingmachine according to claim 1 , characterized by a device (5), which isassociated with the conveyor (8), for applying an adhesive onto theadvertising means (2).
 6. Collating machine according to claim 5 ,characterized in that the device (5) for applying the adhesive isactuable in dependence upon a missing- or double-sheet checking device(13).
 7. Collating machine according to claim 1 , characterized by adelivery drum (9) in the feeding station (B) for printed sheets (1),which delivery drum is disposed in such a way relative to the conveyor(8) that the printed sheet (1) is joined to the advertising means (2) bybeing rolled onto the latter, which is fed by the conveyor (8) andprovided with an adhesive coating.
 8. Collating machine according toclaim 3 , characterized in that the arrangements of suction hole rows (8a) are situated at cyclical distances apart from one another in the beltconveyor (8).
 9. Collating machine according to claim 2 , characterizedby a device (5), which is associated with the conveyor (8), for applyingan adhesive onto the advertising means (2).
 10. Collating machineaccording to claim 3 , characterized by a device (5), which isassociated with the conveyor (8), for applying an adhesive onto theadvertising means (2).
 11. Collating machine according to claim 4 ,characterized by a device (5), which is associated with the conveyor(8), for applying an adhesive onto the advertising means (2). 12.Collating machine according to claim 9 , characterized in that thedevice (5) for applying the adhesive is actuable in dependence upon amissing- or double-sheet checking device (13).
 13. Collating machineaccording to claim 10 , characterized in that the device (5) forapplying the adhesive is actuable in dependence upon a missing- ordouble-sheet checking device (13).
 14. Collating machine according toclaim 11 , characterized in that the device (5) for applying theadhesive is actuable in dependence upon a missing- or double-sheetchecking device (13).
 15. Collating machine according to claim 9 ,characterized by a delivery drum (9) in the feeding station (B) forprinted sheets (1), which delivery drum is disposed in such a wayrelative to the conveyor (8) that the printed sheet (1) is joined to theadvertising means (2) by being rolled onto the latter, which is fed bythe conveyor (8) and provided with an adhesive coating.
 16. Collatingmachine according to claim 10 , characterized by a delivery drum (9) inthe feeding station (B) for printed sheets (1), which delivery drum isdisposed in such a way relative to the conveyor (8) that the printedsheet (1) is joined to the advertising means (2) by being rolled ontothe latter, which is fed by the conveyor (8) and provided with anadhesive coating.
 17. Collating machine according to claim 11 ,characterized by a delivery drum (9) in the feeding station (B) forprinted sheets (1), which delivery drum is disposed in such a wayrelative to the conveyor (8) that the printed sheet (1) is joined to theadvertising means (2) by being rolled onto the latter, which is fed bythe conveyor (8) and provided with an adhesive coating.
 18. Collatingmachine according to claim 12 , characterized by a delivery drum (9) inthe feeding station (B) for printed sheets (1), which delivery drum isdisposed in such a way relative to the conveyor (8) that the printedsheet (1) is joined to the advertising means (2) by being rolled ontothe latter, which is fed by the conveyor (8) and provided with anadhesive coating.
 19. Collating machine according to claim 13 ,characterized by a delivery drum (9) in the feeding station (B) orprinted sheets (1), which delivery drum is disposed in such a wayrelative to the conveyor (8) that the printed sheet (1) is joined to theadvertising means (2) by being rolled onto the latter, which is fed bythe conveyor (8) and provided with an adhesive coating.
 20. Collatingmachine according to claim 14 , characterized by a delivery drum (9) inthe feeding station (B) or printed sheets (1), which delivery drum isdisposed in such a way relative to the conveyor (8) that the printedsheet (1) is joined to the advertising means (2) by being rolled ontothe latter, which is fed by the conveyor (8) and provided with anadhesive coating.